Wednesday, July 11, 2012

ONE of my favorite things is the piano. I've been playing
since I was young, as you can see from this picture. I've always had a piano in
my home, except for a brief time when I was finishing my college degree and
living in campus housing--then I used the practice pianos reserved for the
music majors. I was NOT a music major. I like to think piano balances my brain.
It feels like it does, though some would argue whether that's even possible!

A
Promise for Miriam,
the first book in a brand-new romantic series from popular author Vannetta
Chapman, introduces the Amish community of Pebble Creek and some of the kind,
caring people there. As they face challenges to their community from the
English world, they come together to reach out to their non-Amish neighbors
while still preserving their cherished Plain ways.

Amish
schoolteacher Miriam King loves her students. At 26, most women her age are
married with children of their own, but she hasn’t yet met anyone who can convince
her to give up the Plain school that sits along the banks of Pebble Creek. Then
newcomer Gabriel Yoder steps into her life, bringing his daughter, an air of
mystery, and challenges Miriam has never faced before.

Will Gabe
be able to let go of the past that haunts him? He thinks he just wants to be
left alone, but the loving and warm community he and his daughter have moved to
has other plans for him. After a near tragedy is averted, he hesitantly returns
offers of help and friendship, and he discovers he can make a difference to the
people of Pebble Creek—and maybe find love again.

Vannetta Chapman writes inspirational fiction full of grace.
She has published over one hundred articles in Christian family magazines,
receiving more than two dozen awards from Romance Writers of America chapter
groups. She discovered her love for the Amish while researching her
grandfather’s birthplace of Albion, Pennsylvania. Her first novel, A Simple
Amish Christmas, quickly became a bestseller. She now writes Amish fiction
for Abingdon Press, Zondervan, and Harvest House. Chapman lives in the Texashill country with her husband.

Tuesday, July 03, 2012

It's
probably a good thing that I'm not big on shopping considering that the nearest
mall is about seven hours away from our house. But living in a tropical country
with year round sun, I have come to enjoy one fun fashion accessory--flip
flops. When I was back in the US earlier this year, I came across these cute
flip flops and had to buy them. And for some crazy reason, these flip
flops make me smile every time I wear them.

LISAHARRIS is a Christy Award finalist and the
winner of the Best Inspirational Suspense Novel for 2011 from Romantic Times.
She has over twenty novels and novella collections in print. She and her family
have spent over eight years living as missionaries in Africa where she
homeschools, leads a women’s group, and runs a non-profit organization that
works alongside their church-planting ministry. The ECHO Project works in
southern Africa promoting Education, Compassion, Health, and Opportunity and is
a way for her to “speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves…the
poor and helpless, and see that they get justice.” (Proverbs 31:8)When she’s not working she loves hanging out
with her family, cooking different ethnic dishes, photography, and heading into
the African bush on safari. For more information about her books and life
in Africa visit her website at www.lisaharriswrites.com or her
blog at http://myblogintheheartofafrica.blogspot.com. For more
information about The ECHO Project, please visit www.theECHOproject.org.